ABPA — The Australian Bush Poets Association Inc.

Welcome to the Australian Bush Poets Association

WELCOME. Membership of the Australian Bush Poets Association (ABPA) is comprised of writers, performers and individuals who are interested in bush poetry and enjoy written and live stories in rhyme and metre. If you have an interest in this piece of Australian culture called bush poetry, you have come to the right place.

Aims
The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association are to foster and encourage the growth of bush poetry in Australia. By definition, Australian bush poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life.

Membership
To join the Australian Bush Poets Association and receive our bi-monthly magazine, go to our Membership page.

The ABPA keeps in touch with its members through this website (and forum) and our bi-monthly magazine of bush poetry news, events, results of written and performance competitions as well as samples of contemporary bush poetry. Many members have books, CDs and other products. These can be advertised in the magazine. For rates, click here. The deadline for ads and other content for the magazine is the 22nd of the month preceding publication. Magazines are published at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October and December.

Check out our Facebook page.

ABPA National Championships

N.B. there will be no discrimination between male and female and only ONE Overall Champion. See conditions here.

Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival: 17 to 26 February

Join the walk-up events during the Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival in Orange.
Lots more happening. See the full program here.
Also, on Thursday evening 23 February 2023 at the Lord Anson Hotel (just across the road from the Orange Ex-Services Club), there will be a walk-up competition for the performance of one of Banjo Paterson’s poems or a spoof or variation thereof.

Life Membership awarded to Ray Essery

Committee members Bill Kearns and Tom McILveen award ABPA Life Membership to Vice President Ray Essery (centre)

Poetry in Song Brumby Award

Peter Dawson, John Davis and Colin DeFries with their Brumby Awards.

ABPA Member John Davis had his poem "Visions of the Past" adapted into a song called "Stockroutes of Australia Visions of the Past". It was awarded the best collaboration at the Brumby Awards in Werris Creek NSW on Thursday 12 January.
The song is available on Spotify.